The Finale...?

April 3, 2015

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

Good Friday

Final Words Sermon Series

 “It Is Finished…Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit”

John 19:30a NIV

Luke 23:43-47 NIV

Adapted from Adam Hamilton’s book “Final Words From the Cross”

“The Finale…?”

A reading from the Gospel of John, chapter 19, verses 30 a and Luke 23 verses 43 through 47 Listen to the word of God for you and me His beloved children.

30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”

44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

Let us pray…Pray for God’s word to be heard through me or in spite of me…

We have been journeying our way to the Cross of Calvary…stopping here and there to hear what Jesus said in His last words from the cross, His last words of ministry so to speak. These were the last words of His ministry here on earth. Even from the cross, Jesus was still doing ministry. His anguish on the cross was leading up of the climax of His ministry and the reason He was sent from above. It is to this place that we have stopped and pondered as we await the celebration of His victory.

We have talked about His words “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing…” and realized that we are part of the “them” that Jesus was praying for and about. We heard His words “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” which are words of hope for us knowing that we will one day be with Him where He is… We know there was an “adoption” at the cross when he proclaimed “Woman here is your son…here is your mother.” And then there was last week’s words…”My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”…Jesus knows our pain and our suffering for He Himself has been there… We have heard that Jesus thirst just as we do but what is it that is being thirsted for?

Now…here we are at the end…His very last words He spoke before His death…“It is finished” and… “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” What power is found in these words of Jesus…what hope and joy humanity has because of this redeeming work that was done this day… We would be lead to believe that this was the end…the big finally but is it? Ok…let’s look at these two phrases and see for our selves whether or not this is the end…

…“It is finished”

It is finished. These are some of my favorite words from the cross. They are words that let me know I have a future and a hope…they tell me that Jesus completed what He came to do. He came and accomplished a way of and for salvation for you and for me.

v It is Finished…the sin we carry no longer can hold us for ransom…Jesus paid the ransom note.

v It is finished…The curtain that was in front of the area that only the priest could go…the holiest of holies…was torn from top to bottom as the veil was lifted and we who believe are now given access to the throne room of God.

v It is finished …loves redeeming work was done. Jesus bore the sins of the world…no mere man could do that.

v It is finished…no more sacrifices were needed. Jesus was and is the final sacrifice. Jesus is the only way to God and it is only in, by and through His name we are saved.

v IT IS FINISHED!!!!

… “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Jesus was done. He accomplished all that He came to do. Now He was returning to the Father to sit at His right hand. But is this the end? Is there all there is to the Easter Story? Well the answer to that was no but those who were around Jesus at the time…His disciples, His mother, the Religious Leaders…they all thought this was the end. They didn’t know any better. They saw Jesus die on the cross and return to God. Here is the Messiah…the One who would save God’s people…hanging on a tree. I am sure all of their hopes and dreams died right there with Him. How could this be? I am sure they walked away feeling something went wrong with God’s plan for His people. Jesus said He was the Messiah but there was no freedom…freedom in the way they thought it should happen.

2000 years later we still walk away at times thinking that something has gone wrong with the plan God has for our lives. Broken dreams. A life of heart ace. Our plans that we have worked so hard for falling apart before our eyes. Families are torn apart. Despair and addiction all around. How could this be? Where is the “Happily Ever After in that?” Our hopes and dreams are lying bare on the ground…

But…but…perhaps this isn’t the end. Maybe there is still hope for us yet. Maybe…as we see the sun rise on a new day…we will see something new on the horizon. But do we dare hope and pray? Perhaps things will be better in a couple of days. Let’s just wait and see… Is there a new day dawning full of hope and promise?

Amen